Indian foresters at greater risk than those of other countries

DEHRADUN: India has been leading for many successive years for having the maximum casualties of foresters for the same pursuits, in comparison with Asia, Africa, America.

Shashi Kumar, director-general of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, said “There is conflict of interests and incidents such as forest fire etc which is resulting into deaths of foresters. Human-wildlife interface has also increased many notches above. The area of wildlife is disturbed because of several reasons, resulting into human-wildlife conflict on constant rise. Our front line forces are not equipped to face this challenge. They lack the modern training and equipment.”